Ghana: Educating Girls about HIV through
Peer Leadership
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Theresa
enjoys making a difference
in her community by educating
other girls about HIV and
AIDS.
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Theresa Adjei is a peer educator and leader
in Girls 1st, World Education's community-based
initiative in Ghana that prevents the
spread of HIV by providing vulnerable
girls with knowledge about HIV and other
sexually transmitted infections. Adolescent
girls in Africa are especially vulnerable
to HIV infection due to the intersection
of poverty and poor education. Often,
girls in Theresa's circumstances fall
prey to men who promise to take care
of them in exchange for sex. Girls 1st
trains selected young women to become
peer leaders, and teaches them trade
and market skills. These skills, combined
with the support and confidence that
Girls 1st participants receive can help
them make healthier life choices.
Theresa first heard about Girls 1st through
her sister, and the two decided to get
involved. An elderly village man wisely
advised the sisters to take their preliminary
meetings seriously and be disciplined.
They did, and when Theresa later learned
that she was indeed one of the 40 girls
selected as peer educators, she was thrilled.
Peer educators are a vital link of Girls 1st, because they are familiar with the
challenges that young women face. As
a single mother of two, Theresa, who
is 20, struggles to make ends meet but
is determined to create a better life
for herself and her children.
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Through
Girls 1st, girls
also learn skills that will
help them start a small business.
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For Theresa, the vocational training
at Girls 1st has been especially important.
She has learned pastry-making, and now
is selling small quantities of pastry,
which is helping her buy food and clothing
for her family. She would also like to
reinvest some of her income to sell food
at Girls 1st events.
Since completing the initial peer education
workshops, Theresa has become self-assured
and outgoing. She shares what she has
learned with anyone who expresses interest,
and is seeking permission to speak to
local church congregations about HIV
and Girls 1st. Girls 1st's motto, "I
have decided to be a lady, no matter
what!" has taught Theresa that,
despite her individual circumstances,
she had the ability to be strong.
Girls' 1st is partnership
between World Education, Ghana Red
Cross, and local communities. It
is supported by the M*A*C AIDS Fund.
Learn more about Girls 1st
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